God’s Moral Compass – Racism & The Church

“Let justice run down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream.” Amos 5:24

On August 28, 1963 at the Lincoln Memorial, in Washington D.C. was a speech that demanded change in the course of history. Martin Luther King Jr. stated, “today will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.”

He stated that one hundred years had passed and the African American was still, “crippled with segregation and the chains of discrimination,” and that they were, “still languished in the corners of American society.”

Today, 55 years later, there is still a wave of racism and prejudice with deep rooted hate and crudeness. It is slamming, critical, and judgmental. It is exposing what is in the hearts of men. Today in society there are boundaries and lines of division being further drawn that should have never be drawn.

This racism is an intentional plot. It is meant to push back progress made for justice. It is sparked with racist fires from whites. It is revealing areas of the heart and the lines of division still rooted in this nation. This move wants to push back the victories won against segregation and discrimination. White evangelicals, the church as a whole, latinos, and black people, should embrace together against this and we should all speak as one. In the words of Martin Luther King Jr., “so we’ve come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.”

It is as if our nation is experiencing a racist volcanic eruption. Volcanoes are manifestations of deep rooted turmoil. Fire and gas deep within, form vents above the ground where all the molten hard rock, debri, and gases from inside spew and begin to surface. Today, we can hear and see the signs of racism venting in our nation.

Volcanoes are made when large amounts of gas build up under the surface. Eruptions bring an explosion of lava, rocks, and ash into the air. As this gas is building, small eruptions take place before it reaches its highest point. Today, we can see the signs of the rock and debris of hard hearted racist opinion and philosophy. It carries within it the gas and ash of racial segregation.

Some volcanoes have become extinct while others have been dormant throughout the years. These dormant volcanoes have shown no sign of exploding but, according to geologists will become active again in the future. Today we can witness dormant attitudes of racism heating up to the surface. Many people just ‘following’ suit as racist fires begin to burn their crosses.

Outside of the 1,900 active volcanoes on the Earth today, ninety percent of them are located in the “Ring of Fire”’ This area houses a large number of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, volcanic belts, plates, and oceanic trenches. There is an eruption taking place within the “Ring of Fire” of racism. This “Ring of Fire” must be challenged in the hearts of people who are spewing hate and division. We challenge this by speaking Truth, confronting it, and uniting our voices together. The “Fire of God” is greater. Fighting fire with fire is the motive, as we preach the Gospel to every race and culture; spreading God’s love.

We cannot embrace the blessing of freedom’s prosperity while allowing any liberty and justice and rights be taken from blacks, whites, latinos, all races, and all cultures that weave the tapestry of America. As Martin Luther King Jr. said,

“When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men, as well as white men, would be guaranteed the “unalienable Rights” of “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

His speech demanded, “the riches of freedomand the security of justice.” He reminded America that, “the fierce urgency of Now,” was the time. We as the church, must stand in that same “urgency of Now” today.

The church with the availability of media coverage, social media, and their access to technology, has a louder voice. We must rise to the occasion and speak. We must be God’s voice of justice and righteousness to a nation; to men, women, and children, and to the world. In the words of this great speech,

“It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment… Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning…for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone.”

I appeal to white evangelicals, to those whites within the church, to be the white brothers that realize our destiny is tied up with their destiny. That our freedom is inextricably bound to the stand against racism of all kinds. We should not let anyone walk alone as we represent the Gospel.

If we do not rise to the occasion it will be as Lot in Genesis 13:11, where it states that Lot and Abraham were separated from one another and Lot went east. When Lot decided to go this direction, he connected with the wrong people. To make a point, to “go east coast” means you make an unwavering aggressive threat and you take an aggressive position, that will most certainly happen. The point being, we cannot separate ourselves from the stand against racism or we will “go east coast” by association. We must remain positioned with the blessing of God.

We can be a voice of freedom together. As the church, we are meant to be that voice. This voice includes the bold stand against racism. We are challenged for such a time as this to speak – to ignite an awakening. As the church, we have a purpose to be a voice of freedom declaring righteousness – the righteousness of God.

“But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption…” 1 Corinthians 1:30 (KJV)

Again, in the words of Martin Luther King Jr., that still ring true,

“This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God’s children.”

We are in need of an awakening that challenges anything contrary to Jesus; an awakening of justice that will challenge complacent, lukewarm tendencies, and hardness of heart. We need an awakening to clearly see truth. We need an awakening to move forward with the virtue of God that reaches all Americans, all people, all races, all cultures, all the world. One that stands above the hatred and brings the person of Love, Jesus. I have coined this awakening as, “The Great Millennial Awakening.”

When we rise to the awakening God has called by His moral compass, based on His character alone, we will find His Truth confronts injustice; His righteousness dominate immorality; His voice speak to all mankind.

There is a call to individuals to be awakened; to stand in justice, and live by the measure of righteousness we have been given through Jesus Christ. In closing, again with the words of Martin Luther King Jr.,

“And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back. When will you be satisfied…No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until ” justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Black, white, latino, rich, or poor, all cultures, American, Christian; we have a dream. The Christian’s dream is to uphold Jesus Christ, His word, His teachings, and the blessing of God to all. We are to be the church that God has called for such a time as this. We are to be as a fire.

“A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.” Joel 2:3 (KJV)

For every awakening there is a boldness of Truth; an uncompromised voice that declares God’s word, His Life, and His way of doing things. There must be an uncompromised voice that declares the moral compass of God. It must declare God’s ways and His love for all cultures of the world; a voice that is drawn by His magnetic force to steer people, nations, cultures, lives, and mankind in the right direction. The Bible defines the character of morality. God’s Moral Compass must direct us; His magnetic pull must draw us; His Spirit must empower us.

“And ye shall know…that I am the Lord your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed…I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh…your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions…I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth.” Joel 2:27-30 (KJV)

We must not shut ourselves up to the reality of what is really happening around us. We must not be moved by corrupt flatteries. We must embrace His outpouring of justice, righteousness, and love. We, as the people of God; the Body of Christ, have a voice. It is time to speak. It is time to be awakened. It is time to embrace Jesus like never before.

“And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.” Daniel 11:32 (KJV)